"Pinch!"

by Kody Allcroft
(Bangor, Maine)

I’m not a typically nervous person. On more occasions than one, I’ve been told that I am an incredibly forward, unafraid, outgoing person. My nickname in college was “loudgirl” for goodness sakes. So you would think that all this bubbly overflow of personality onto those within a twenty foot radius would have to stem from somewhere deep within. However, I am a firm believer in clichés, and I follow the old adage that you should never judge a book by its cover.

While I appear fearless, my interior is unfortunately timid. And I feel as though I have a reputation to uphold! So, since as far back as I could remember, I’ve needed a way to channel those quiet, small little fears. My coping mechanism? I started pinching necks.

It wasn’t a problem at first…at least not that I can recall. I mean, I was only about three when the nasty habit started. My grandmother, god bless her soul, has a bit of a saggy neck. Naturally, I would go to her in times of strife; after all, she is the most comforting woman in my life (my mother is eccentric, at best). I don’t know if arms were too obvious and hair was just not so nice, but somehow pinching my grandmother’s neck with my little light grip was…soothing. Her warm neck felt soft, and she would always tease, but I know it didn’t hurt, so I just kept on with this habit.

To this day, in my ridiculous loud girl personality, in times of serious discomfort, I generally find myself pinching my own neck; no one’s big enough to cradle me in their arms anymore. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop, it’s become natural. Talk about strange, huh?

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Jun 11, 2015Rating

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Aug 16, 2012Rating

pinchby: Anonymous

I have this bad habit of pinching my neck too. When I was about 3 I would alwas pinch my dads neck because it just felt nice and I'm not sure... eventually he didn't let me continue and I started pinching my own neck after a couple of months. I pinched especially when I got nurvous, angry, happy and for whatever other reason. It was more or less a safety blanket or in this case neck... but after several years my skin were a usually pinch got darker and now I'm getting nervous. I'm 15 and i still pinch this silly neck even though I don't want to... it's like a reflex in my hand that says " oh look! Its the neck! Need to pinch!" I tried distracting my hand but it just didn't feel right :\ I wish someone could make a materiel that copies the texture of neck skin so it can trick the feel. (that description sounded odd heh)

To be truthful I'm glade I could share my feelings with people who understand what it's like to be a neck pincher and I hope everyone with this problem can eventually stop the pinching. : )

Aug 16, 2012Rating

pinchby: Anonymous

I have this bad habit of pinching my neck too. When I was about 3 I would alwas pinch my dads neck because it just felt nice and I'm not sure... eventually he didn't let me continue and I started pinching my own neck after a couple of months. I pinched especially when I got nurvous, angry, happy and for whatever other reason. It was more or less a safety blanket or in this case neck... but after several years my skin were a usually pinch got darker and now I'm getting nervous. I'm 15 and i still pinch this silly neck even though I don't want to... it's like a reflex in my hand that says " oh look! Its the neck! Need to pinch!" I tried distracting my hand but it just didn't feel right :\ I wish someone could make a materiel that copies the texture of neck skin so it can trick the feel. (that description sounded odd heh)

To be truthful I'm glade I could share my feelings with people who understand what it's like to be a neck pincher and I hope everyone with this problem can eventually stop the pinching. : )

Aug 10, 2012Rating

Pinching my neckby: Anonymous

I have the same bad habbit. It's like smoking, or biting nails. I have been doing it since I was a baby. In the beginning I would pull on my neck(right above my chest). Now I pinch the skin and my skin has become numb to it because if I did to any other place on my body it would hurt. It's a real problem for me because I do it as a nervous habbit and I believe it has something to do with my hands doing something. I want to stop so bad, but it has become second nature to do it. I am 31 now and it's ruining my skin. I wear be necklaces and shirts to hide it. People that see I'm always covering my neck notice there's something going on there, but don't ask because it almost looks like a skin disease like eczema. My Mom took me to a general doctor when I was young and he said it wasn't a big deal & that I would grow out of it. I'm grown and it's still a bad habbit. I need help to stop and don't know what type of doctor that is familiar with this??? Any suggestions? I'm glad to see a couple of people are doing the same thing so I'm not the only one in the world with this weird habbit. I don't want my skin to age 100 years older than my age and I don't know how to stop. I feel like an addict.

Jan 02, 2012Rating

"pinch"by: Anonymous

I also have this habit of pinching my neck with sucking my thumb my daughter also pinched her neck but she managed to stop and believe it or not my sister also has this habit my mom recons its from when my sister and i were babies and she breast feed us we used to pinch the skin on her breast and my daughter used to do the same when i feed her i don't know if this is write but its just a theory

Jul 09, 2011Rating

Same bad Habitby: Anonymous

I have pinched my neck as long as I could remember. It is similar to sucking your thumb I can only guess. I would also pinch any skin fold I could get to. I notice when I am nervous I would do it more often, prior to an interview, angry, sick, or just tired. My kids slap my hands when they notice. I am somewhat ashamed, especially when I do not realize I am doing it.

Mar 15, 2011Rating

the weird habbitby: Anonymous

I thought that I was like the only person.. But yeah, I have the same habit, except when I was little, maybe 2 or 3? I would suck my index finger and pinch my the center of my neck. I don't know why but it soothed me and helped me sleep. I couldn't sleep without the filthy habit. This went on in till I was either 5 or 6. Then I stopped sucking my finger and eventually my neck. Somehow I was able to find a way to fall asleep without the self soothers. But every now and then through periods of stress in my life, I start to pinch my neck. Then this bruise will show that looks like a hickey, and I get a lot of comments, which gives me no choice but to stop and fight the stressful habit. Weird, but I heard of other people that do the same thing, either through stress or just a habit they don't quite understand.

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